New York, Oct 1, 2012 (SPS) - The Secretary General of the United Nations Mr. Ban Ki-moon, has presented a report summarizes the latest developments regarding the question of Western Sahara and the course of negotiations between Polisario Front and Morocco, revealing that his Personal Envoy Christopher Ross will brief the Security Council about the issue in the coming months.
In a report on the situation in Western Sahara submitted to the 67th session of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Ban said that the progress towards a settlement “awaited further discussions on the way forward.”
UN Chief highlighted that the two rounds of informal talks and bilateral consultations held with the parties, Morocco and Polisario Front, focused on the core issue of the future status of Western Sahara, as well as to continue to explore discrete subjects of mutual interest.
“However, on the core issues of the future status of Western Sahara and the means by which the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara was to occur, no progress was registered,” noted the report.
The UN Secretary General indicated that the parties to the conflicts, neighboring countries and Group of Friends of Western Sahara confirmed “strong support” for the efforts of the United Nations and a commitment to the framework of direct negotiations set forth by the Security Council in successive resolutions and a fresh interest in moving beyond the status quo in order to find a solution.
The report underlined that it was “vital for the United Nations and the international community as a whole to have access to reliable, independent information on developments in both Western Sahara and the refugee camps in order to consider how best to promote a settlement.”
“This could be achieved through expanded reporting by MINURSO and more frequent visits to both Western Sahara and the refugee camps by diplomats, journalists and others,” pointed out Mr. Ban.
“There was broad agreement that more and better data was needed and that MINURSO personnel should enjoy full freedom of movement and outreach in Western Sahara and the camps and have the ability to provide independent information on significant developments, as exists in other peacekeeping operations around the world,” he added. (SPS)
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